| Switch Type: Linear |
| Factory Lubed: Yes |
| Actuation Point (mm): | 1.5 | Actuation Point (mm): | 1.72 |
| Actuation Force (gf): | 45 | Actuation Force (gf): | 42.4 |
| Total Travel (mm): | 3.0 | Total Travel (mm): | 2.60 |
| Reset Point (mm): | 1.5 | Reset Point (mm): | 1.71 |
| Bottom-out Force (gf): | Bottom-out Force (gf): | 50.1 | |
TL;DR
They’re fairly average linear switches. You can think of them as a low-profile version of the Cherry MX Red.
Smoothness: 6/10
On-centre keypresses are moderately smooth with minor scratchiness and inconsistencies at slow keypresses.
Off-centre keypresses are slightly scratchy with noticeable inconsistencies at slow keypresses.
Overall, you can feel a very subtle tactile bump when you press them slowly, but this isn’t felt when typing normally. These would’ve been top-of-the-list a decade ago, but they’re just okay today’s market.
Weighting: 5/10
Now, according to SteelSeries these switches have an actuation force of 45g at 1.5mm and a total travel of 3mm.
SteelSeries QS1 force curve.
As you can see from the force curve above, the SteelSeries QS1 is just about on spec in all areas.
SteelSeries QS1 consistency force curve.
As you can see above, the switches have mediocre consistency with lots of spikes throughout their travel in both the up and downstrokes.
SteelSeries QS1 vs. Cherry MX Red force curve.
The force curve above shows the comparison between the SteelSeries QS1 and the Cherry MX Red. The QS1 is roughly 3-5g heavier throughout. Although the biggest difference between them is their total travel. SteelSeries states that the QS1 bottoms out at 3mm, but it’s closer to around 2.6mm in reality.
SteelSeries QS1 vs. Fnatic Speed Low Profile force curve.
The force curve above shows the comparison between the SteelSeries QS1 and the Fnatic Speed Low-Profile. This time, the Fnatic switch is the heavier switch. And even though they’re both low profile switches, the QS1 still has a significantly shorter travel.
Overall, they’re lightly weighted switches with inconsistency issues. Plus, I’m not the biggest fan of low-profile switches to begin with, so these definitely aren’t catered to my preferences.
Sound: 7/10
They have a rather full and thocky sound signature, with only the spacebar stabilizer slightly ruining their overall composition due to how rattily it is. Plus, they’re on the quieter side for a non-silenced linear switch, but not quiet enough for an open office environment.
Overall, I’m not usually the one to praise a thocky sound, but I surprisingly quite like these.
Typing Performance: 5/10
Low profile switches aren’t my thing at all. I don’t hate them, I think they have a place in the world, and it’s the same with these switches. They’re lightly weighted, a little inconsistent and are low profile – a combination I’ve never been able to really gel with.
Although I made fewer typos using these switches than normal, so something is definitely working that I’m unaware of!
Overall, I think a heavier, more consistent version of these would’ve been great, but nobody was really asking for a switch like this back then, so it made sense as to why SteelSeries didn’t make too many of these. This was probably a flop in their eyes.
Gaming Performance: 7/10
These are EXCELLENT switches for slower-paced games, and I believe you would’ve been at an advantage if you had been using these.
They were pretty good for fast-paced as well, but I found myself accidentally pressing keys at this point because of their light weighting and mild consistency issues.
Overall, they’re smooth enough for most games, but they could do with being more consistent. And for me, a heavier weighting, of course.
Final Score = 30/50 (60%)